By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – It was another day and another win for the Bristol Junior American Legion baseball team on Tuesday afternoon.
And when winless EMH came to the Mum City for a Zone 3 bout, the same team left town with another loss on its docket.
Post 2 belted EHA for four first inning runs on its way to an outstanding 8-2 triumph – moving to 9-1 overall – from Riley Field in Bristol.
It was the third straight triumph for the locals as the program remains just a half game out of first place.
Torrington (10-1) after losing to Bristol about 10 days ago, hasn’t lost since – has won five straight games and is the current Zone 3 leader.
Post 2 is a perfect 6-0 from home, averaging 8.9 runs-per-game for the top scoring tally in zone play.
Bristol nearly duplicated that average on Tuesday, but no one is complaining about the ultimate result.
The game was the last home contest for the locals for a little bit as four of the squad’s next five games will be played on the road.
Bristol’s Drew Martineau went a strong five innings on the mound, throwing just 63 pitches to earn the win.
Jack Ericksen and Brian Grabowski each threw an inning for the victors, saving the arm of Martineau for another day.
Post 2 ramped up several big hits on the day as Caleb Simard (two walks, RBI), Gabe White, Brayden Schenck and Mason Harris (RBI) all got into the offensive flow against EHM.
Bristol’s Ryan Tyler and Ericksen each drew walks as the locals collected a double figure base-on-balls total.
Manuel Feliciano lasted 2.1 innings for EHM, drawing a hard-luck loss and an early exit.
Post 2 led by a 4-1 push through three innings and then scored runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas to increase its lead to seven at one point.
Bristol scored twice in the fourth and once in the fifth and sixth frames to scoop up an 8-1 cushion, never looking back.
Up next…
Post 2 is on the road Thursday at Norwich (5:30 p.m.), goes to South Windsor on Saturday (Rotary Park, 3:30 p.m.) and travels to Waterford on Sunday (Waterford High School) right off Route 1 (hope you guys have some extra gas money for the trip) at high noon before returning home.
After the holiday break, Bristol is home for a tilt against Zone 3 challenger Glastonbury on July 6 (5:30 p.m., Riley Park) as the locals finally returns back home.
Looking at the zone
The top three teams in Zone 3 (Torrington, Bristol and Waterford) are a combined 19-0 from home.
Torrington is 7-0 while Waterford (9-3) is a perfect 6-0 from Waterford High School.
Ellington (7-3) is in fourth place while Tri-County (8-4) are both 5-2 from their respective home sites.
Bristol American Legion Baseball – Zone 3, Junior Division
BRISTOL 8, EHM 2
from Riley Field, Bristol
EHM (0-9) 001 000 1 – 2 4 3
Bristol (9-1) 400 211 0 – 8 8 1
WP – Jonathan Montgomery (Bristol); LP – Manuel Feliciano (EHM)
Records: Bristol 9-1 overall; EHM 0-9.
